Machines for the manipulation of elongated filaments have been known for many years having a variety of applications. For example, known machines were used in creating yarn by simply twisting multiple strands together. Other such machines for use in forming rope and cord generally employed mechanisms for interweaving two strands. Other such machines for use in the textile industry typically included complicated assemblies which were part of an overall machine with complex mechanisms.
The uniqueness of a braid has created the need for the development of a variety of devices suitable for manipulating natural and synthetic hair, such as human hair and artificial doll hair, into one or more desirable forms. For example, Eronini, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,038,996 discloses a portable hair braider using a plurality of sets of hair parters that are arranged in a row which extend transversely to the path of movement of the device over the top of a person's head. The hair parters divide the hair over a predetermined width of the scalp, and then feed these separate hair portions into hair grippers which clamp and rotate the strands for weaving them together to form a braid. In this manner, the hair covering a predetermined width of the scalp is divided into plural groups of hair strands and formed into a single braided strand. See also Eronini, U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,017.
The aforementioned hair braiding devices are relatively complicated and cumbersome for use. To this end, there is known a portable hair braiding apparatus from Shipman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,307,737 and Sapkus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,690. Shipman discloses a hand operated machine with tubular holders for three sections of hair. The three tubular holders are each designed to maintain the separation of the sections of hair, while moving within a system of tracks and guide rails to weave the individual sections of hair into a basic braid. Sapkus discloses another hand operated machine with tubular holders for three sections of hair. In this machine, the three tubular holders are rotated in a manner that results in the formation of a basic braid, the rotation being effected by means of a mechanism including a lever and a plurality of gear members.
In addition to the aforementioned machine-type hair braiding devices, hair braiding devices which require manual manipulation to effect the braiding operation are known. For example, Hatchett, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,297 discloses the combination of a skeletal frame assembly having plural spaced apart skeletal support members for receiving a member having a corresponding plurality of resilient elongated members. Macy, U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,668 discloses a plurality of individual hair retainers for holding separate groups of hair. Nash, U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,011 discloses a comb having a plurality of spaced fingers supported by a handle to enable braiding of hair within a series of slots formed therein. Johnson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,272 discloses a hair braiding device having a plurality of movable arms for gripping and enabling manual manipulation of the hair for forming a braid.
There is also known a number of devices which are suitable for twining hair. For example, such devices are known from Fishman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,963, Sapkus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,585,Larsson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,561 and Buta, U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,036.
Additional hair styling devices are known from Legette, U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,271 which is a tool for applying beads to gathered strands of braided or unbraided hair. Terzian, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,808,736 discloses a hair styling figure having an accessory to enable styling of the hair for curling, braiding or other styling arrangements.
Accordingly, there is still the room for improvements in a portable braiding apparatus suitable for use in braiding natural and synthetic filaments, such as human hair or artificial toy doll hair, as well as other natural and synthetic filaments in forming hair braids, rope, cord and the like.